Official Rules

Supporting Sponsors

Ken & June Shimabukuro

Anonymous Donor In Memory of Masao Takahashi

The Japanese American WWII veteran experience is still relevant to our society today. Explore one of the ways this is true.

The Japanese American WWII veteran story is now over 70 years old. Discuss your ideas on preserving the Japanese American WWII veteran story for future generations.

Please select to either: A) write an essay or B) video a performance or C) create your choice of visual art and submit a photo or video

Limits:

Essays - 250-500 words

Performance - 3 to 5 minutes filmed of an original performance. This includes spoken word, performed poetry, original song, or an original short play.

Visual art - Produce your choice of visual art including drawing, painting, mixed media, print, photograph, collage, or 3-5 minutes of edited video. Submit this as a photo or video with a short explanation (up to 250 words) of the work. Please do not use copyrighted material in your visual art, unless it is from Go For Broke National Education Center’s video or photo collection.

Please identify which category you are entering, phone number, your school/university, title of your entry, and grade/level (what grade you are/were in for the 2017-2018 school year).

Please email essays to studentcontest@goforbroke.org by Sunday, July 1, 2018. Essays must be sent as Word docs.

Please post videos of performances to YouTube, and email a link to studentcontest@goforbroke.org by Sunday, July 1, 2018.

Please submit a photo or video of your visual art. Include a short explanation of up to 250 words as a Word doc. Post videos to YouTube, and email a link to studentcontest@goforbroke.org. Send photos of your visual art as a jpeg attachment to studentcontest@goforbroke.org. All entries must be received by Sunday, July 1, 2018.

Visual arts winners will be required to share an original video file or a high resolution photo file with Go For Broke National Education Center.

A panel will be judging the essays, videos, and photos.

Winners will be notified by Saturday, August 11, 2018.

All contestants will be added to Go For Broke National Education Center's etorch email list to receive updates on the organization.

Eligibility

This contest is open to high school (9th through 12th grades) and college (undergraduate and graduate) students.

If you were a winner the previous year, you are ineligible for entry.

Tips and Helpful Hints

Go For Broke National Education Center’s Defining Courage Exhibition is located in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo. Visit the exhibition to learn more about the Japanese American WWII experience. Go For Broke National Education Center’s Defining Courage Exhibition is free for students.

For information about the Japanese American WWII veterans, please refer to our website. Interviews of more than 700 veterans are available online.

Prizes Cash prizes will be awarded to the top 18 student qualified entries as follows:

Essay, High School Division $1,000: First Prize $200: Second Prize $100: Third Prize

Essay, College Division $1,000: First Prize $200: Second Prize $100: Third Prize

Performance, High School Division $1,000: First Prize $200: Second Prize $100: Third Prize

Performance, College Division $1,000: First Prize $200: Second Prize $100: Third Prize

Visual Arts, High School Division $1,000: First Prize $200: Second Prize $100: Third Prize

Visual Arts, College Division $1,000: First Prize $200: Second Prize $100: Third Prize

The six grand prize winners will each receive two complimentary tickets* to attend our 17th Annual Evening of Aloha Gala Dinner on Saturday, September 8, 2018 at The Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites in downtown Los Angeles. All winners will be published in a booklet at the event and on our website.

*Please be advised that travel and accommodations are not included with the complimentary tickets to Evening of Aloha Gala Dinner.